Kobe Bryant, the NBA MVP who had a 20-year career with the Lakers, was killed Sunday when the helicopter he was traveling in crashed and burst into flames in the hills above Calabasas. His daughter Gianna, 13, was also on board and died along with seven others.
Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Category Archives: NCFA Blog
BCSC seeks insights through two new stakeholder forums
BC Securities Commission | Release | Jan 27, 2020
Vancouver – The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) is seeking input from interested stakeholders through two new advisory groups.
Last week, the BCSC held the first meeting of its Corporate Finance Stakeholder Forum, which will help ensure that the Commission’s regulation of issuers is efficient and effective. The BCSC also announced that it is seeking applications from the financial technology community to join the Fintech Advisory Forum.
“We work to keep the investment markets fair and honest, in a cost-effective manner,” said Brenda Leong, the Chair and CEO of the BCSC. “Smart regulation depends on good intelligence, and the best way to get that is by engaging with the people and businesses affected by our rules.”
The 25 volunteer members of the Corporate Finance Stakeholder Forum is advising Corporate Finance staff on policy initiatives, investment market trends and other emerging issues affecting reporting and non-reporting issuers, including investment funds. At its first meeting January 22, members discussed the proposal by the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) for a “notice equals delivery” system, as well as other proposals for reducing regulatory burden for public companies.
See: NCFA Canada’s response to BCSC Notice 2018/1 ‘Consulting on the Securities Law Framework for Fintech Regulation’
Members of the Corporate Finance Stakeholder Forum, led by senior staff of the BCSC’s Corporate Finance Division, represent all areas of the B.C. securities market, including issuer executives, investors and investor advocates, underwriters, legal and accounting advisers, academics, and other securities market participants and stakeholders.
As the Corporate Finance Stakeholder Forum gets underway, the BCSC is also seeking applications from the financial technology community to join the Fintech Advisory Forum. The Fintech Advisory Forum’s members will advise BCSC staff about fintech trends and developments, including opportunities and risks, and provide input on fintech issues in the securities industry and securities law issues affecting fintech. They will serve two-year renewable terms as volunteers, meeting on an ad-hoc basis with additional consultations by phone or email.
The Fintech Advisory Forum will be led by the BCSC’s Fintech & Innovation Team (FIT), formerly known as the Tech Team. Established in 2017, the FIT has responded to hundreds of fintech-related inquiries and has facilitated the authorization of innovative business models, including security token dealers, crypto investment funds and client onboarding processes that use artificial intelligence. The FIT has also worked with other regulators in Canada and globally to adapt securities regulations to business models based on new technology.
About the British Columbia Securities Commission ( www.bcsc.bc.ca )
The British Columbia Securities Commission is the independent provincial government agency responsible for regulating capital markets in British Columbia through the administration of the Securities Act. Our mission is to protect and promote the public interest by fostering:
- A securities market that is fair and warrants public confidence
- A dynamic and competitive securities industry that provides investment opportunities and access to capital
Media Contact:
Brian Kladko
604-899-6713
Public inquiries:
604-899-6854 or 1-800-373-6393 (toll free)
inquiries@bcsc.bc.ca
Source: here
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
This is How You Achieve Greatness. 5 Essential Lessons From Kobe
LA Times | Jan 27, 2020
Kobe Bryant, the NBA MVP who had a 20-year career with the Lakers, was killed Sunday when the helicopter he was traveling in crashed and burst into flames in the hills above Calabasas. His daughter Gianna, 13, was also on board and died along with seven others.
For live updates and remembrance --> here
Inc. |
This is How You Achieve Greatness. 5 Essential Lessons From Kobe Bryant
A few months ago, Kobe Bryant released his book, The Mamba Mentality. I've always admired his work ethic that led to his numerous accomplishments, so I was eager to dive into the text.
See: Advancing Competition in a Changing Marketplace
During Bryant's famed 20-year basketball career with the Los Angeles Lakers, he racked up five NBA championships, two NBA finals MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals. He's also the third-highest all-time career regular season scorer for the league.
The lessons Bryant laid out in his book are gold for entrepreneurs who want to build a legacy of greatness in their work. Here are five important lessons from Kobe's Mamba Mentality every business leader should adopt.
1. Obsession is not-optional.
Jeff Bezos often muses about how customer obsession has been key to Amazon's growth. Dropbox CEO Drew Houston talks about how critical it is to be obsessed with solving a problem that matters to you. And Kobe Bryant wrote about how his obsession with both winning and dominating, fueled him:
"If you want to be great in a particular area, you have to obsess over it. A lot of people say they want to be great, but they're not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve greatness. They have other concerns, whether important or not, and they spread themselves out."
You've got to be obsessed too, if you want to build a business that has a lasting impact. It's best when your obsession over is directly linked to your company's core mission.
2. Missed shots are necessary.
Far too many business leaders stifle their growth and potential because they let fear stand in the way of taking actions that haven't been 100 percent proven to deliver results. Start by learning how to create a blog. Talk to any transformational leader, and they'll tell you that failure is something you'll need to get comfortable with if you want to be great. Bryant is no different:
"If I wanted to implement something new into my game, I'd see it and try incorporating it immediately. I wasn't scared of missing, looking bad, or being embarrassed. That's because I always kept the end result, the long game, in my mind. I always focused on the fact that I had to try something to get it, and once I got it, I'd have another tool in my arsenal. If the price was a lot of work and a few missed shots, I was OK with that."
Feel your fear, but don't ever let it stop you from seizing opportunities.
3. Methodically eliminate your holes.
Kobe Bryant focused relentlessly on mastering every aspect of basketball. He meticulously focused on even the smallest of details, because he knew the compound effort of small improvements would allow him to dominate no matter the circumstances.
He noted, "I built my game to have no holes."
You are the architect of your business. With time and a clear plan of action, you can eliminate any weak points that diminish the experience you deliver to your customers.
See: Take your company to the next level. Apply for FFCON20 Fintech Draft competitions
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
NCFA and Toronto Finance International partner to co-host Canada’s ultimate fintech experience
NCFA and TFI | January 23, 2020
Strengthening Canada's fintech and financial reach through collaboration, competition and networking at FFCON20
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2020 / The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA) and Toronto Finance International (TFI) announced today a collaborative partnership and the joint launch of the 2020 Fintech and Financing Conference and Expo (FFCON20) to be held in downtown Toronto on March 23-24, 2020.
The theme for the 6th annual FFCON is RISE, reflecting the joint efforts of the two associations, NCFA and TFI, to build and increase the success and sustainability of Canada's fintech and financial sector.
With finance and fintech touching virtually every business and entity of people's lives, FFCON draws national interest and global participation from high-growth startups and leading industry experts across a variety of disciplines and backgrounds.
You will find fintech entrepreneurs from across all fintech sectors including digital banking, peer to peer finance, AI, capital markets, wealth management, payments, crypto and blockchain along with innovative financial institutions, investors, regulators, government and major industry stakeholders, all in one place.
FFCON facilitates thought-provoking and relevant discussions, lively debates and personal networking for the cross-pollination of ideas and experiences. The two-day event also provides a variety of competitions where investors can find deal flow and companies can get direct access to prominent investors.
FFCON, at its core, brings markets to life and provides an open forum for collaboration between emerging companies and major stakeholders.
"We're very excited to partner with TFI on co-hosting Canada's national fintech conference and look forward to advancing the development of Canada's fintech ecosystem through innovation, competitiveness, partnerships and inclusive industry support and growth." Craig Asano, Founder and CEO, NCFA
"We have the opportunity to leverage North America's second-largest financial centre, combined with its third-largest tech cluster, and use this momentum to become a global fintech leader. Collaboration among industry stakeholders is a critical element required to move Toronto into the top tier of international fintech hubs, and we are pleased to be working with NCFA to support and grow the sector's innovation ecosystem." Jennifer Reynolds, President & CEO, TFI
FFCON20: RISE provides a rich experience through a series of pre-conference and in-conference events including:
- The 30-day Fintech All Digital Challenge where celebrities and people at large will try to live for 30 days using only their mobile device for all daily transactions.
- A 30-day Alt-coin Trading Challenge provides participants with the ability to explore and compete in crypto trading in a fun and safe, simulated environment.
- The inaugural 2020 Fintech Draft will include live conference pitching, evaluation by prominent investors and access to a fintech export readiness program.
- And the RISE Exhibitor Expo, will provide emerging companies with the ability to showcase their innovations, give demos and interact with the diverse range of attendees.
For more information on FFCON20: RISE click here
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
Toronto Finance International (TFI) is a public-private partnership between Canada's three levels of government, the financial services sector and academia. TFI's mission is to lead collective action that drives the competitiveness and growth of Toronto's financial sector and establishes its prominence as a leading international financial centre. For more information, please visit: www.tfi.ca
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
2019 Happy Holiday Messages from Industry Partners
WISHING YOU A SAFE, HEALTHY AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!
Remillard Consulting Group | Richard Remillard | Dec 11, 2019 At this time of year, predictions for 2020 are starting to rain down with as much frequency as occurs in Vancouver in the winter months. At the risk of waterlogging readers and, hopefully, with slightly more accuracy than weather forecasters in the era of climate change here are some fearless predictions for what might stay the same and what might change next year – and what to do about it ...
Navigating the Great Reset: Fintech in Canada in 2020
Lending Loop | Reza Jafer | Dec 17, 2019 2019 at Lending Loop was an exciting and fruitful year as we achieved significant company milestones. We are proud to have enabled 10,000+ Canadian individuals to cumulatively invest over $60M in Canadian small businesses. 2019 Highlights: Over 400 businesses across Canada accessed $25,000,000+ of capital through Lending Loop $4,000,000+ in interest and $14,000,000+ in principal paid to investors, contributing to their financial goals Opened the investment platform to Trusts, Foundations, Charities, ...
Holiday Greetings from Lending Loop! 2019 Year In Review
FundRazr | Mira Soullen | Dec 16, 2019 FundRazr is a free enterprise-class crowdfunding platform and the secret sauce behind 160,000 fundraising campaigns in 40+ countries. FundRazr is laser-focused on eliminating the guesswork of raising money online making it effortless and effective. What to Expect from the Social Fundraising World in 2020 Things are constantly changing in the world of social fundraising, also called “crowdfunding”, but it’s safe to say that 2019 was an especially interesting year. As some more ...
What to expect from social fundraising world in 2020
Ledn | Adam Reeds | Dec 17, 2019 "We want to take this opportunity to thank every member of the NCFA community and wish everyone a happy holiday season! 2019 was an exciting year for Ledn, and the bitcoin industry overall. We announced 2 new products and are now serving customers from over 50 countries. By building financial services on bitcoin, we are able to improve transparency and offer standardized rates and services globally. The industry has surely matured this ...
Happy Holidays from Ledn and Top Predictions for 2020
Next Decentrum | Tristram | Dec 18, 2019 Merry Christmas and all our best to the NCFA community from Next Decentrum. Hussein, Rama, Shawn, Rodrigo and Tristram Next Decentrum is an edtech company focused on developing the future of education using curated content. We provide subject matter experts with an easy way to organize curated content to develop leads, build a personal or company brand, or educate clients through our platform, CXO.ai. Vest in Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary of ...
Merry Christmas from Next Decentrum Technologies!
Holt Accelerator | Sam El Falah | Dec 17, 2019 As another successful cohort marks the end of 2019, we at Holt are proud to announce that throughout our last cohort, our startups and team have been working on Thought Leadership pieces in partnership with multiple key players from the ecosystem. Divided into 3 main sub verticals, we put together a report demonstrating global trends, as well as a more in depth analysis of the opportunities and challenges faced within ...
Holiday Greetings from Holt Accelerator
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
Merry Christmas from Next Decentrum Technologies!
Next Decentrum | Tristram | Dec 18, 2019
Merry Christmas and all our best to the NCFA community from Next Decentrum.
- Hussein, Rama, Shawn, Rodrigo and Tristram
Next Decentrum is an edtech company focused on developing the future of education using curated content. We provide subject matter experts with an easy way to organize curated content to develop leads, build a personal or company brand, or educate clients through our platform, CXO.ai.
Vest in Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary of Next Decentrum, brings curated groups of founders and investors together to develop a more connected tech ecosystem across Canada.
For more information, Hussein our CEO recently participated in the Cyber Monday podcast.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
Holiday Greetings from Lending Loop! 2019 Year In Review
Lending Loop | Reza Jafer | Dec 17, 2019
2019 at Lending Loop was an exciting and fruitful year as we achieved significant company milestones. We are proud to have enabled 10,000+ Canadian individuals to cumulatively invest over $60M in Canadian small businesses.
2019 Highlights:
- Over 400 businesses across Canada accessed $25,000,000+ of capital through Lending Loop
- $4,000,000+ in interest and $14,000,000+ in principal paid to investors, contributing to their financial goals
- Opened the investment platform to Trusts, Foundations, Charities, Partnerships, Corporations and Institutional partners to invest alongside Canadian individuals
- Enhanced Portfolio Analytics allowing investors to have real-time insights into their portfolios
- Launched getloop.ca - Canada's first 100% free business credit score monitoring service for business owners in partnership with Equifax
Our team was proud to receive recognition from Globe & Mail’s Report on Business as the 27th Fastest Growing Company in Canada, acknowledging the success of our ongoing mission to provide innovative financial solutions for small businesses.
If you would like to learn more about the Lending Loop platform, visit www.lendingloop.ca/lenders or contact one of our registered Dealing Representatives at lenders@lendingloop.ca
Till next time, onwards and upwards!
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
Happy Holidays from Ledn and Top Predictions for 2020
Ledn | Adam Reeds | Dec 17, 2019
"We want to take this opportunity to thank every member of the NCFA community and wish everyone a happy holiday season!
2019 was an exciting year for Ledn, and the bitcoin industry overall. We announced 2 new products and are now serving customers from over 50 countries. By building financial services on bitcoin, we are able to improve transparency and offer standardized rates and services globally.
The industry has surely matured this year and Canada has climbed up the ranks of relevance globally, not only in the bitcoin industry, but in fintech in general. With exciting announcements like 3iQ's bitcoin fund to end off the year, we anxiously await what 2020 will bring!
Top predictions for 2020:
- Bitcoin dominance increases with Bitcoin's % of total cryptocurrency market cap increasing from 67% (current) to over 90%.
- More institutional players enter the cryptocurrency lending market, realizing the attractiveness of the asset class as yields in other hard assets (real estate, traditional bonds) continue to remain at all time lows.
- Massive education and increased adoption of the use stablecoins, especially in LatAm and Africa as people seek alternatives from hyperinflation.
- The Ledn Team
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
